Method and device for removing rotating bands from projectiles



- R. L. CLOTHIER 2,449,979 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR REMOVING ROTATING BANDS FROM. PROJECTILES Filed July 16, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 28, 1948.

RUEI'ERTL BLEITHIER,

asmmmww Sept. 28, 1948. R. L. CLOTHIER 2,449,979

v METHOD AND DEVICE FOR REMOVING ROTATING BANDS FROM PROJECTILES Filed July 16. 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 swam/bow Sept. 28, 1948. R. L. CLOTHIER 2,449,979

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR REMOVING ROTATING BANDS FROM PROJECTILES Sept. 28, 1948. R. L. CLOTHIER 2,449,979

, METHOD AND DEVICE FOR REMOVING ROTATING BANDS FROM PROJECTILES V Flled July 16 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet, 4

R UEIERTL "E'| LDTHIER',

Patented Sept. 28, 1948 1 UNITED STATES rare/m orrics METHQD AND DEVICE. EonHnEMovmoao'rArmo BANDS FRoMPRoJEoTItEs:

Robert L. Clothier, Denville, N. I Application-Filly 16, 1.9.43 SeriaLNnAQdWi).

(on; 51-34) g I (Granted under the act of March 3; 1883, as amended April 30, 19281370 G. 757) 1 Claim.

The; invention: described" herein may be manufactured and usedby or for the Governmentgfor governmental purposes; Without the payment to me offany. royalty thereon.

This: invention relates tca method. and means of: removing rotatingbandsfrom obsolete or To" lootedshells.

In the manufacture of high caliber shells, as for example the 12 and? 16 inch shells, av rotating band; usually made ofv copper is placed about the shell at: One extremitythereof. In instances where-the: shells so manufactured are either obsolete or; rejected for some defect, and it is desired to sci'apthefshell, it is-necessary that the rotating bandibe' removed before the remainder of the shell can be sent to the metal scrap furnaces for melting down=of thedesir-edsteelscrap.

.Heretofore this has been accomplished by the use of a cold chisel, wherebycne manheld the chisel against the copper band while another man pounded the chisel with a heavily weighted sledge hammer nntil such time that the band is severed.

Asteel wedge was then continuously forced unden the; opened cut of the band and the shell rotated untilthe band was completely removed. By; the manual operation described it was the common practice for a gang of 17 laborers to removesonan average of (an-rotating bands from 1.6. inch shells in one 8 hour working day; In addition tothe time consumed in removing. the bands in. the manner described, the Work involved was laborious and most tiring with a result that the utmost working efiiciency of a gang of laborers could not be accomplished.

'Ilhe primary object of this invention is to provide; az device whereby automatic mechanical means are provided for remcvingthe copperi rotating bands from shells at such speed and ease that a group of laborers can accomplish the removal of an average of 215 rotating bands in the same period of time.

An important feature of the invention is that very little physical effort is required in removing the bands with resultant peak efficiency of a laboring group. Another feature of the invention is the adaptability of the machine and method described to remove rotatin bands from any series of sizes of shells.

The invention can best be understood from the following description to be read in view of the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan of the band cutting machine showing travel of the shells worked upon;

Figure 2 is a side view of the machine showing shel1 in position at inception of cutting operation;

Figure; 3yisv aside VieWshoWing cutter in positionatitsicompletedcycle;

Figure dis an endview of the machine, taken on lined-zofilligure 2.;

Figure 5 is a; viewin perspective of the 2nd stage of removing; the rotating band; and

FigureG is aview, showing. meansfor completion of removalof; rotatingv bandifrom shell.

Referring, to the drawi.ngs,. l' indicates-the base of the machine within; which is positioned: a shell A- having a rotating band B; The said-I base serving as a meansfor supporting: frame 2 which in turnservesto support the motor drivingmeans for the functioning of" the machine. Extending between the twoends of; the; frame is a pairof rails 4, upon which a carriage 5 is movable. The carriage 5 isv provided at itsrear end with bearings 5-a inMwh-ichis;pivoted-a platform 5-b extending throughflvani opening-tin.the-carriage 5. and; having; atv its forward, end a bearing. 50 in. whichis journaled a shaftfi d. Suitablymount edon the platform 5-b above tl1ebearings 5:a there is a motor fi which drives, a. rotating cutter- "l, mounted'on the; shaftB-d; in the direction indicatedby the arro vin Fig. 2. The platform; 5-b is: also provide diat, its reapendwitha coun t rpoise- 5-e. Thecutter 1 ispositioned within, a gua-rdhousingS which extends below. the-rails i. In the, functioning ofthemotor driven cutter, the-platform 5,-b is tilted slightly-toilower and elevatethe cutter? as required; A lever ilzsecured to the platform 5-42 serves for controlling the movement'oi theoutter l. Aswitchbox It'l'is provided; to start and stop; the motor; as the need arises. l ormingpart; of the: control means for. the; downward movement: or the cutter l' is anair chamber or dashpo-t H which serves asv a means. ion. providing aneven; steady: and continuous downward control movement of the cutter 1. The cylinder l I-a of the dash-pot H has its lower end pivotally mounted on the carriage 5, and its piston rod H--.b is pivotally connected with an arm 5--,f extending upwardly from the platform 5-4).

A screw 25 provided with hand-wheel 25 is journalled in bearing blocks 21 carried by arms 28 attached to the frame. A cooperating screw element contained Within housing 29 is mounted upon carriage 5 by means of member 33. Manual rotation of the screw 2 5 by the hand-wheel serves to translate the carriage upon the rails 4-4.

For ease of feeding the shells to be worked upon to the machine described, there is provided a conveyor 20 extending to the stock pile of shells. Conveyor 20 terminates in a separate section 12 mounted upon a turntable 2|. The turntable may be rotated to position the conveyor section 12 to receive a shell from the conveyor 20 or to deliver a shell from such section over the-concave rolls into the machine. After the shell is conveyed into the frame of the machine, a nose-stop 13 secured to the frame of the machine is lowered, and holds the shell firmly in position while the shell is being worked upon. For supporting the shell within the band cutting device, I provide a series of rollers 22 mounted on bearings 23 in channels 24 so as to permit the shells to be readily pushed beneath the cutting device. A pair of blocks may, if desired, be placed against the end of the shell to more securely hold the same. After the shell is so positioned the motor is set for operation and the cutter lowered to cut through the rotating band. Care must be exercised not to cause too sudden and too rapid a downward thrust of the cutter upon the rotating band. Such control can be had by careful adjustment of the air chamber or dashpot ll. After the band is cut to its base, the platform b is tilted by means of lever 9 to elevate the cutter 1 and the machine is ready for another cycle of operation.

In order to determine the depth to which the cutter 1 shall operate, there is provided a bolt l4 adjustably mounted on the arm 5--f which in contact with a plate l5 mounted on the carriage 5 determines the depth to which the cutter 1 can descend. In instances where rotating bands of varied thicknesses are to be worked upon, and the cutter 1 is accordingly to be brought to various depths, a series of shims can be added to the plate 15 and so provide a stop means at any desired point.

After the rotating band has been cut, the nosestop I3 is lifted and the shell is pushed forwardly onto another conveyor [6 leading to a platform. By the use of an air hammer I9, or similar type of machine a small portion of the cut band is forced upward. The shell is then placed between two uprights ll one of which is provided with a pin, which can be inserted into the base plug area of the shell, the other with an opening in which the nose of the shell can be placed, permitting rotation of the shell. A pair of tongs 18 secured to a power driven means such as a crane is then affixed to the opened portion of the band, and the crane is then set in operation. The band will then be peeled from the shell as it rotates between the uprights H.

In the adaptation of the machine to cut the rotating bands from varied length shells and projectiles, the carriage 5 carrying the power cutting means can be moved upon the rails 4, 4 in any desired position and setting.

While there has been herein described one particular adaptation of the preferred embodiment of the device, it is obvious that modifications and changes can be made to the machine and method of removing rotating bands as herein described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A device for cutting the rotating bands of projectiles which comprises a base, a projectile trackway disposed longitudinally of said base for moving longitudinally oriented projectiles, upright members on either side of said trackway, a pair of parallel horizontal members supported by said upright members forming a track disposed longitudinally of said base and aligned vertically with said trackway, a carriage on said trackway mounted for longitudinal movement upon said track, an arm pivoted on said carriage for limited movement in a vertical plane parallel to said trackway, a, power driven cutter carried by said arm in a plane parallel to the plane of movement of said arm, a motor carried by said arm and drivingly connected to said cutter, means for oscillating said arm about its pivot to raise and lower said cutter, means controllably moving said carriage upon said track, said arm and cutter. being partially counterbalanced to weight said cutter for downward pivotal movement against a projectile band, controllable dashpot means for controlling the downward rate of pivotal cutting movement of said cutter, and adjustable stop means for stopping downward movement of said cutter after a predetermined depth of cut.

ROBERT L. CLOTHIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Mar. 8, 1921 Number Number 778,280 France Dec. 15, 1934 Germany Oct. 29, 1931' 

